Drug mafia offers star facilities to woo youth

KOCHI: While the city witnesses a spurt in drug peddling cases, a trend noticed by the police is that the inter-state drug cartel is providing ‘star facilities’ for its consumption to woo young customers. A police team headed by ACP Biji George which arrested a couple Bilal and Greeshma for drug peddling the other day recovered the facilities, including party room in their flat at Chilavannur, for consuming new generation drugs.

The party room, featuring disco lights and DJ music among other things, was completely sound proof so that people in the neighbourhood had no information regarding their business. According to an officer, the duo offered rave party packages of various prices, including a two-day package for `25,000 per person. The package included pick-up and drop. The city shadow police on Saturday arrested Muhammad Bilal, 32, of Kasargod, Chinchu Mathew, 24, of Thalassery, and Greeshma, 23, a native of Palluruthy, on charges of drug peddling. During the raid, the cops seized several packets of MDMA, LSD stamps, ecstasy pills, in addition to hashish and ganja from their possession. Mainly, students are falling prey to the drug mafia.

Earlier, an accused Ramesan, 52, of Vallikode, Pathanamthitta, alias ‘Dada’, who was arrested for peddling ganja to Kochi from Odisha, confessed to the investigators that they used to supply contraband to medicos in the city. He used to supply drugs with the assistance of tour guides in the city. As summer vacations have begun, more students are likely to buy and peddlers are trying to make use of this opportunity, said a police officer. The police have tightened their surveillance in the wake of vacation to curb ganja peddling among youths. According to the officer, the sale of drugs is concentrated among cinema-serial professionals and tour guides, besides students.